Consider This...LP&L, Where's the transparency?

Another KCBD investigation revealed some information that shocked some of the leadership at your city-owned utility.

Remember that "investigation" that board members commissioned a while back? A firm was hired to determine if the director of LP&L was involved in bid-rigging for Lubbock's future power needs.

Back then, the board approved an expense of $85,000 to pay that law firm to investigate the process. the result was a criminal-free process. End of story right?

Wrong. Our investigation showed that another big result came from that study: a $272,000 bill, courtesy of the customers and taxpayers of Lubbock.

Consider this:

In the world of bureaucracy, paying thousands of dollars to investigate other bureaucrats isn't uncommon, but the real travesty here is someone was obviously trying to hide this one because of its excess.

The board originally approved only a fraction of the actual cost, and we were told not one board member knew about the additional expense. Procedure calls for a board vote for anything over $100,000.

Seems pretty convenient to get just under that amount approved and then spend over three times that amount.

I think it's time LP&L board members start making some serious decisions about the staff over there, and I don't mean spending more money to "investigate."

We want to know what you think. Voice your opinion by commenting below, by e-mailing us at considerthis@kcbd.com or by writing us at:

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'Consider This' is a commentary by KCBD Vice-President and General Manager Dan Jackson.